Rangamati, February 24 – BNP Joint Secretary General Habib-Un-Nabi Khan Sohel has urged the government to hold elections without delay, warning that any stalling tactics would not be tolerated by the people. Addressing a BNP rally at the Shaheed Abdus Shukkur Stadium in Rangamati on Monday afternoon, he stated that millions of young voters have yet to cast their votes, and the government’s actions suggest a lack of democratic commitment.

Sohel asserted that the people of Bangladesh would not accept any further delays in the election process. He warned that if the government continued to postpone elections, the BNP would be compelled to launch a vigorous movement against the administration.

This public rally was the first in Rangamati after 19 years. The last major BNP gathering in the city was on February 12, 2006, when former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia attended a rally at the same venue.

Addressing the student activists, Sohel remarked that many young leaders believe they have achieved everything independently, failing to recognize the years of struggle that preceded their activism. He emphasized that the BNP had been tirelessly building a movement over the past 16 years, which ultimately paved the way for student protests.

He also criticized the restrictions imposed on BNP’s recent gatherings. According to him, obtaining permission for rallies was an arduous process, often delayed or denied by authorities. Even when permission was granted, he claimed that security forces conducted extensive searches, checked mobile phones, and even raided houses to detain activists. He condemned what he described as the ruling party’s intimidation tactics, stating that the much-publicized "game" promised by Awami League leaders was not about democratic competition but rather a show of force, which he insisted BNP would not partake in.

Sohel accused Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana of mismanaging the country and exploiting its resources for personal gain. He alleged that business operations in Bangladesh were controlled by Sheikh Rehana and that without paying her, no businessman could operate freely. He went on to call the Sheikh family one of the most corrupt in the world and demanded that all public funds allegedly misused be returned to the people before any political comeback was considered.

The rally was presided over by District BNP President Dipan Talukder Dipu and conducted by General Secretary Advocate Mamunur Rashid Mamun. Other prominent BNP leaders who spoke at the event included Central BNP Organizing Secretary (Chattogram Division) Mahabuber Rahman Shamim, Central BNP Assistant Organizing Secretaries (Chattogram Division) Harunur Rashid (VP Harun) and Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin, Central BNP Assistant Secretary for Religious Affairs Advocate Dipen Dewan, Central BNP Assistant Secretary for Indigenous Affairs Lt. Col. (Retd.) Manish Dewan, and former MP and Deputy Minister Moni Swapan Dewan. Additionally, several local BNP leaders and unit representatives addressed the gathering.